A copie of the Commission giuen to Sir Ierome Bowes, authorizing him her Maiesties Ambassadour vnto the Emperour of Russia, Anno 1583.

ELIZABETHA, Dei gratia, Angliæ, Franciæ, et Hyberniæ Regina, fidei defensatrix, &c. Vniuersis et singulis præsentes literas visuris et inspecturis, salutem. Cum Serenissimus Princeps, Ioannes Basilius, Rex, et magnus Dux Russiæ, Volodimeræ, Moscouiæ, et Nouogrodiæ, Rex Cazani, et Astracani, Dominus Plescoæ, et magnus Dux Smolenscoæ, Tueri, Vgori; Permiæ, Valeæ, Bolharæ, et aliarum ditionum: Dominus et magnus Dux Nouogrodiæ in inferiori regione Chernigæ, Rezanæ, Poletscoæ, Ratsauie, Yeraslaue, Bealozeri, Liflandiæ, Oudori, et Condensæ, et gubernator in tota prouincia Siberiæ, et partium Septentrionalium, et aliarum, frater, et Amicus charissimus, Nobilem virum, Feodor Andrewich Spisemski, nuper ad nos ablegauerit, ad certa quædam negotia nobiscum agenda, quæ honorem vtrinque nostrum quàm proximè attingunt, quæque rectè definiri concludique nequeunt nisi Ambassiatorem aliquem et oratorem ad præfatum serenissimum principem amandauerimus: Hinc est, quòd nos de fidelitate, industria, prouida circumspectione, et satis magno rerum vsu, prædilecti nobis famuli nostri, Hieronimi Bowes Militis, ex nobilibus domesticis nostris vnius, plurimùm confidentes, præfatum Hieronimum Bowes Militem, nostrum verum et indubitatum Ambassiatorem, Oratorem, et Commissarium specialem facimus, et constituimus per præsentes. Dantes, et concedentes eidem Hieronimo Bowes Militi oratori nostro tenore præsentium, authoritatem, et mandatum, tam generale, quàm speciate, ita quòd specialitas non deroget generalitati, nec è contra generalitas specialitati, nomine nostro, et pro nobis, cum præfato serenissimo principe, eiusque consiliarijs, et deputatis quibuscunque de præfatis negotijs et eorum singulis, tractandi, conferendi, concludendi appunctuandique, prout præfato Oratori nostro æquum, et ex honore nostro videbitur: Nec non de, et super huiusmodi tractatis, conclusis, appunctuatisque, cæterísque omnibus et singulis, præmissa quouismodo concernentibus, literas, et instrumenta valida et efficacia, nomine nostro, et pro nobis tradendi, literasque et instrumenta consimilis vigoris et effectus, ex altera parte petendi, et confici, et sigillari debitè procurandi, et recipiendi, et generaliter omnia, et singula præmissa qualitercunque concernentia, faciendi, exercendi, et expediendi, in, et eodem modo, sicut nos ipsi faceremus, et facere possemus, si essemus præsentes, etiamsi talia sint, quæ de se mandatum exigant magis speciale; promittentes bona fide, et in verbo Regio, omnia et singula, quæ per prædictum Ambassiatorem, et oratorem nostrum appunctuata, promissa. conuenta, concordata, et conclusa fuerint in hac parte, nos rata et grata, et firma habituras et obseruaturas, et superinde literas nostras patentes confirmatorias, et approbatortias in forma valida, et autentica, prout opus fuerit, daturas. In cuius rei testimonium, his præsentibus manu nostra signatis, magnum sigillum nostrum regni nostri Angleiæ apponi fecimus. Datæ è Regia nostra Grenwici quinto die mensis Iunij, Anno Dom. 1583. Regni verò nostri vicessimo quinto.

The same in English.

Elizabeth by the grace of God, Queene of England, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. to al and singular, to whom these presents shal come to be seen and red, greeting. Whereas the most excellent prince Iohn Basiliwich king, and great duke of all Russia, Volodomer, Moscouie, and Nouogrod, king of Cazan and Astracan, lord of Plesco, and great duke of Smolensco, of Tuer, Vgor, and Permia, Valca, Bolhar and others, lord great duke of Nouogrod in the low country, of Cherniga, Rezan, Polotsco, Rostoue, Yeraslaue, Bealozera, Liefland, Oudor, and Condensa, and gouernour of al the land of Siberia, and of the North parts and other, our most deare brother and friend, did of late send vnto vs one Feodor Andrewich Spisemsky, a noble man of his, to deale with vs in certaine speciall businesses, respecting very neerely the honour of either of vs, and being such as without the speeding of some Ambassadour of ours to the aforesaid most excellent prince, cannot be sufficiently determined and concluded: For this cause we hauing great confidence in the fidelitie, industrie, prouident circumspection and conuenient experience of our welbeloued seruant Ierome Bowes, knight, & gentleman of qualitie of our householde, do by these presents make and constitute the foresaid Ierome Bowes knight our true and undoubted Ambassadour, Orator and special commisioner, giuing and graunting to the same Ierome Bowes knight, our Orator, by the vertue of these presents authoritie and commandment, as wel general as special, so that the special shall not preiudice the generall, nor on the other side the general the special to, intreat, conferre, conclude, and appoint in our name, and for us with the foresaid most excellent prince and his counsellers and deputies whatsoeuer, concerning the foresaid businesses, and ech of them, according as it shall seeme good, and for our honour to our foresaid Orator, as also of and vpon such things intreated, concluded and appointed, as in all and singular other things, any maner of way concerning the premisses, to deliuer in our name and for vs, sufficient and effectual letters and instruments and to require letters and instruments, of the like validitie and effect of the other part, and to procure them lawfully to bee made and sealed and then to receiue them, and generally to doe, execute, and dispatch al and singular other things concerning the premisses, in, and after the same maner, as we our selues would and might do if we were present, although they be such things as may seeme of themselues to require a more speciall commandement: promising in good faith and in the word of a prince, that we will hold and obserue all and singular the things which by our Ambassador aforesayd shall be appointed, promised, agreed, accorded and concluded in this behalfe; as lawfull, gratefull, and firme, and thereupon as need shall require, will giue our letters patents, confirmatory and approbatory, in forme effectuall and autenticall. In witnesse whereof, we haue caused our great seale of our kingdome of England to be put to these presents, and signed them with our owne hand.

Giuen at our pallace of Greenewich the fourth day of Iune, in the yeere of our Lord 1583, and of our reigne the fiue and twentieth.